Mental Health Unit

Scope of Service: The Mental Health Unit (MHU) consists of 30 beds located at ICC. MHU provides
care for the acute psychiatric patient 18 years or older on an inpatient
basis. The MHU practices strict adherence to patient's rights standards
and regulations.

The nursing staff, including the charge nurse and the program director
of the Mental Health Unit, assist the medical staff in the development
and ongoing evaluation of policies and procedures affecting the provision
of mental health services.

Care is provided in a multi-disciplinary manner, involving the psychiatrist,
social services, adjunctive therapist, nursing care coordination/utilization
review, pharmacy and pastoral care. Extensive networking and collaboration
with state, county, and community mental health agencies, department of
Mental Health (DMH) Patient's Rights office, outpatient treatment
centers and community residential facilities is practiced. Services provided
by this department include the following:

Promotion of optimal patient safety through routine monitoring or equipment,
facility safety, and infection control standards.

Discharge planning/care coordination.

Care is provided on an inpatient basis 24 hours/day, 7days/week.

Providers of nursing care are RNs, Licensed Psychiatric Technicians (LPT),
LVNs, CNAs and mental health workers. All disciplines have training and
experience in the provision of specialized care to the acutely ill psychiatric
population.

All MHU staff are MAB trained. The psychiatric technicians, LVN's and
aides work under direct supervision of the RNs. The staffing matrix and
patient classification system provides for additional staff as census
and/or acuity increases.